Concerns are being expressed in the occupied territories about the possibility that the increase in cases due to the Omicron mutation could affect the turnout at the "polls" in the upcoming "parliamentary elections" on January 23.
According to the Kipris newspaper, as reported by the Press and Information Office, in statements to the newspaper, health professionals said that this would happen. In particular, the former "president" of the "parliament", Doctor Sibelle Simbert, referred to the need for the "electoral process" to be held in open spaces and noted the need for all citizens who will go to the polls to "exercise their right to vote" to apply the necessary protective measures, wear a double protective mask and keep their distance.
Also, the "president" of the "Turkish Cypriot Medical Association", Ozlem Gurkut, called on all those who will go to the polls to vote in case they have symptoms to undergo a test first, saying that everyone has the right to exercise their right to vote" but has no right, she said, to endanger anyone's health.
Noting that the electoral processes have inevitably led to an increase in cases in the occupied territories, Ms. Gurkut said that there are even politicians who do not apply protection measures and do not wear masks.
Gurkut stressed that checks on the application of measures should be increased and called on everyone to faithfully apply self-protection measures.
The "Prime Minister" Faiz Sucjuyoglu in exclusive statements to the newspaper, addressing "voters" who are thinking of not going to the polls to vote in the "elections" because they are worried about the pandemic, claimed that "at the moment the current mutation is heading towards endemic flu and therefore there is no excuse for not going to the polls and voting".
"The issue of boycotting the elections is rhetoric followed by the leftist faction. For the nationalist and right-wing forces there is no question of such a thing. The pandemic is a situation which could affect us. But it seems that the mutation that is now taking place is on its way to becoming an endemic flu. That is, it does not create severe disease. It's not causing serious problems. And despite the fact that the positive cases are in the thousands and hundreds, it is generally accepted that this situation is not reflected in hospital admissions. Therefore, a normalization is emerging. And this is a situation that applies globally. That is, before the virus appeared, there was seasonal influenza, which was also severe. This emerging situation gives us hope," he said.
In case there is no new mutation, he added, and a new unexpected situation, then the pandemic may end in March or April, he said, and for that, there is no need to panic.
He also said that it would not be right for anyone to say that they will not go to the polls to vote, since the situation at the moment with the virus is not serious and both the vaccinated and unvaccinated people have mild symptoms if they are infected with the virus.
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
